The project Bridge is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Servicio Espanol para la Internacionalizacion de la Educacion (SEPIE). Neither the European Union nor the National Agency SEPIE can be held responsible for them. -- Number: 2025-1-ES01-KA220-HED-000359236 --
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BRIDGE Main Challenge: A.2. Gap between regulatory frameworks, institutional discourses and actual inclusion practices
Polish universities face a growing student mental-health crisis alongside fragmented and often inaccessible psychosocial support. Evidence since 2020 shows high levels of anxiety, depression, stress and suicidal risk, while many students report low awareness of available services, stigma and limited influence on institutional well-being policies.
The practice proposes a community-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) model combining prevention, referral, anti-stigma education, student participation, institutional reform, local depression alliances and digital tools. It adapts the European Alliance Against Depression approach to higher education and links universities with students, NGOs and mental-health professionals.
This practice responds to deteriorating student mental health and insufficient institutional capacity for accessible, preventive and community-oriented support in Polish higher education. It combines evidence-based MHPSS, student-led advocacy, local alliances against depression, institutional reform and digital tools to strengthen prevention, reduce stigma and embed well-being more firmly in university governance.
University students face high levels of anxiety, depression, stress and emotional exhaustion while psychosocial support remains uneven, poorly visible and often reactive. Academic pressure, stigma, unequal access to services and limited student influence over well-being policy can deepen vulnerability, especially for students already facing social, gender or migration-related inequalities.
Student well-being affects learning, inclusion, retention and participation in academic life. Treating mental health only as an individual clinical issue overlooks institutional conditions that can intensify distress. A preventive and participatory approach can improve access to support, reduce stigma and strengthen universities’ responsibility for healthy learning environments.
The practice addresses the gap between institutional commitments and actual inclusion by embedding MHPSS in university structures, while also strengthening dialogue and student participation. It links institutional reform with community alliances, peer engagement and accessible digital resources, turning well-being from a peripheral service into a shared governance responsibility.
The model combines community-based MHPSS, anti-stigma education, student co-creation, institutional self-reflection, local alliances against depression and digital support. Universities work with student organisations, psychologists, NGOs and public-health actors. Evidence and feedback inform recommendations, awareness activities, referral pathways and longer-term well-being governance.